Miriam Yeung (杨千嬅) will be making her triumphant return to Malaysia with her latest tour titled “My Beautiful Live”.
Take note peeps, 10% discount will be awarded to the first 1000 concert tickets (except Cat 4 & 5 tickets) sold, based on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Hong Kong singer-cum-actress will be stopping by Kuala Lumpur after performing at Singapore Indoor Stadium on 8th February. Since kicking off the tour in Guangzhou last year, Miriam has since performed in Australia, New Zealand, United Sates, Canada and throughout China.
According to a press release, “My Beautiful Live” signifies that “the road to a beautiful life can be achieved by the experience gained after going through challenging times, and that includes the setbacks that make you grow and improve“. The 45-year-old star is a firm believer that those who embrace their strengths as well as imperfections can experience the beauty in life.
Audiences will be able to see Mariam share different stages through her biggest hits including “Small City”, “Teenage Girl Prayer”, “Wild Child”, “Living Very Happily”, “Too Bad I’m An Aquarius”, “Sister” and “Brave”!
Jointly organised by Unusual Productions (China) Ltd, Entertainment Impact and Star Planet, the details to Miriam Yeung’s “My Beautiful Live” concert are as follows:
Date: 21st March 2020 (Saturday)
Venue: Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil
Time: 8pm
Ticketing: From RM228 onwards (seating plan pictured above)
Concert tickets will go on sale from 18th January at 12pm onwards via www.starplanet.com.my.
MTV short film “St. Louis Superman”, produced by homegrown talents Teng Poh Si and Cheyenne Tan, has been nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject at this year’s Oscars!
Directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, the 25-minute documentary will be competing alongside 4 other movies namely “In The Absence”, “Learning To Skateboard in A Warzone (If You’re A Girl)”, “Life Overtakes Me” and “Walk Run Cha-Cha”.
Based on true events, “St. Louis Superman” tells the life story of rapper-turn-activist Bruce Franks Jr., as he faces a lot of setbacks and mental trauma in the mission to transform his community in Missouri after winning the Missouri House Of Representatives in 2016.
He was inspired to enter the politics world following the tragic shooting of a young African-American Michael Brown Jr. by a white police officer nearby Franks Jr.’s hometown at Ferguson, Missouri back in 2014.
For those interested, check out the trailer here:
The 92nd Academy Awards will be held on 9th February 2020 (Sunday).
A Mercedes-Benz mobile burst into flames right outside Pavilion shopping mall in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The incident happened earlier today (Tuesday, 14th January) at 12.40pm.
The chaotic atmosphere was recorded by a few passers-by before it went viral online. In this case, most of the videos were taken before the firefighters arrived on the scene.
According to Operations Command, Head of the Fire and Rescue Station, Jalan Hang Tuah, Kuala Lumpur, PBK II, Mohd Azam Alip, the team received an emergency call at 1.40pm regarding the incident.
“The fire was managed to be extinguished at around 2.01pm. Based on our reports, the damage caused by the burn is estimated to be around 90%,” Mohd Azam said in an official press release.
For those who often watch or attend any events involving our very own songbird Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza, they will surely notice the loud chant of a die-hard supporter of Siti, shouting her name thrice.
However, our friends at Murai reported that the fan, Zairul Fikry Mohd Nor, has sadly passed away recently. The unfortunate news was addressed by the “Jerat Percintaan” songstress herself on Instagram yesterday (Tuesday, 14th January).
Instagram Story via Murai
Saddened by the news, Siti wrote in her Instagram story that Zairul Fikry’s – or Zirul in short – voice in hyping up the crowd will definitely be missed. In addition, the 41-year-old superstar described the fan-chant as one of the most beautiful memories in her career. Word has it that Zirul died after a long battle with cancer.
Zirul’s past Instagram update also came to light following his passing. The young SitiZoner (fandom name) uploaded a recording of Siti singing, followed by his signature “Siti, Siti, Siti” scream. The award-winning singer then jokingly asked him to wait for a moment as she finished on belting the final chorus.
Looking at the comments section, Siti also left an encouraging message for Zirul to stay strong and positive to fight against his illness. The post was uploaded back in October 2018.
The competition for bubble tea drinks is stiff and Tealive has been stepping up their game.
Starting from today (Wednesday, 15th January), boba tea lovers can purchase 2 drinks for the price of RM10. The promo is valid till the end of the month, on 31st January, or when it hits 250,000 transactions.
Here are some terms & conditions to take note:
It’s only valid with Touch ‘n Go eWallet.
Promotion period is from 15th January until 31st January 2020.
This promo is not valid at AEON Delica Foodcourts, Maxvalu and Cold Storage and KLCC.
Purchase Two (2) drinks of Tealive drinks valued at RM6.60 per drink for only RM10 (subject to 6% Sales and Service Tax) with “Pay” function using the Touch ‘n Go eWallet at participating Tealive outlets.
Promotion is only valid for Tealive drinks which priced at RM6.60 only (subject to 6% Sales and Service Tax).
Any top up and/or drinks priced above RM6.60, the additional charges (subject to 6% Sales and Service Tax) shall be paid by the user.
Limited to One (1) RM10 for Two (2) drinks promotion per transaction per user.
We won’t be surprise to find long queues at Tealive outlets over the next few days.
In case you haven’t heard, the Malaysian government has announced that all eligible Malaysians will be entitled to claim RM30 as part of the eTunai Rakyat initiative.
What is eTunai Rakyat? It’s the government’s initiative to increase eWallet usage in the country. You can redeem it from 3 popular eWallet platforms namely – Grab, Touch ‘n Go eWallet and Boost.
Source: Everyday On Sale
Here are some key things to note:
Redemption period: 15th January 2020 – 14th March 2020
Who is eligible?: All Malaysian citizens aged 18-years-old and above; earns less than RM100,000.
You can only redeem the RM30 credit only once, even though you might have all 3 eWallet apps on your phone. Each user will have to verify the eWallet with your own IC. You wil then be required to take a facial verification in the form of a selfie.
Source: Soya Cincau
Once you’ve completed the procedure, a link will appear in the app (make sure it’s updated) to let you claim the RM30 incentive. You are required to wait a fews working days (depending on which eWallet app you use) before the cash is credited into your account.
The free RM30 can be used to spend at any supported eWallet merchants or their in-app services such as Grab rides, RFID toll payments, or movie ticket purchases. However, if you’re still undecided on which eWallet to claim, this might help you out:
1. Grab
eTunai Rakyat processing requires 5 working days.
Options: GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabMart and GrabExpress
In-app payment integration: Kaodim, OYO, Agoda, SOCAR, JomParking and more.
Can also use for QR payments at merchant stores, pay for bill and purchase prepaid reloads.
Has reward point system.
2. TnG eWallet
eTunai Rakyat processing requires 3 working days.
Requires account verification as seen in the screenshots above.
Seamless payments for RFID toll system, retail merchants via QR code, pay bills and street parking.
Don’t not have reward point system but occasionally offer cashback promos.
3. Boost
Has a Cashup feature that allow users to get cashback from retailers.
Boostup reward system where you can earn coins for redemption.
K-pop mega group EXO (엑소)’s contract with Nature Republic is reportedly coming to an end soon.
Earlier today (Wednesday, 15th January), an EXO-L (EXO stan) posted a screenshot of a statement made by the famed beauty cosmetics brand regarding the award-winning group’s exclusive deal on their internal web.
The translated statement reads, “Hello, our contract with EXO, who has modelled for the brand for a long time, will come to an end on 29th February 2020. Regarding this, you need to use all of the stock of EXO-related products.”
Nature Republic’s sudden announcement came out in the wake of the recent news involving member Chen’s upcoming marriage with his non-celebrity partner. Although there’s no exact reason and confirmation made by the company, a number of fans have linked the out-of-the-blue decision with the ongoing issue involving the 27-year-old Hallyu star.
Source: Nature Republic
In this case, some of them have left hurtful comments, demanding Chen (real name Kim Jongdae) to leave his group for good. On the contrary, some also pointed that the decision to end their contract has been a long time coming. Check out some of the highlighted comments here:
“EXO got cut because of Jongdae. When will he leave the group?”
“The other members got their contract terminated because of him… And I don’t even know if he’s in hiding or not. I’m a fool for liking him in the first place.
“EXO can’t work with them anymore all because of Kim Jongdae. Wow, seriously. Hahahahaha. He’s caused enough harm.”
“They’ve been with them for so long. They’re finally free.”
“Wow, finally. There was nothing to buy there anyway.”
Source: Nature Republic
For those who don’t know, the “Call Me Baby” jam makers have become the main ambassador for the brand since 2013.
And another relationship bites the dust… This time it’s Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler.
Multiple reports claim that the 31-year-old actress and the 28-year-old actor, who first sparked romance rumours in September 2011, have allegedly parted ways in late 2019.
Source: Drew Altizer/WENN.com
The former flames have not been seen together since last November. Austin was also absent from Vanessa’s birthday on 13th December. US Weekly claimed that the starlet “has been telling those close to her about the breakup“, though she hasn’t spoken about it publicly.
In speaking with Cosmo UK, the former “High School Musical” star previously talked about her long distance relationship with the Hollywood hunk. “It’s 8 years this year – FaceTime, good communication, respect and trust (are what keep us going),” she told the publication, before adding, “The longest we’ve been apart was four months. It sucks! You start hating hearing yourself say ‘I miss you.’ But if it’s your person, you make it work.”
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong has announced that they will be displaying our very own badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei’s wax sculpture at their museum located in Peak Tower.
For those who are interested, the Perak-born’s statue is set to be unveiled to the public in the second quarter of 2020. This marks the first ever Malaysian athlete to achieve the feat!
The former world champion was seen during the sitting session recently. Throughout the 6-hour long process, he couldn’t help but share his excitement, bringing endless laughter to the team members with his playful jokes.
“I’m impressed at how they recorded details so meticulously, including the colour of my hair and eyes! I’m extremely honoured and grateful to be representing Malaysia. I hope that my wax figure will inspire more Malaysians to showcase their talent on the global stage,” said Chong Wei.
According to Madame Tussauds Head of Marketing BoBo Yu, her team was beyond excited for this special project to take place, saying, “We are indeed privileged to have such a brilliant athlete joining us.”
“We hope this will attract sports aficionados from Malaysia and all over the world to come and experience the magic of badminton as displayed by the superstar,” Yu was quoted as saying.
Chong Wei will be the second ever Malaysian to receive the honour, following in Hollywood megastar Michelle Yeoh’s footsteps back in 2015.
Age is just a number – at least that’s the saying when it comes to love. Although it’s a common thing these days, those in the entertainment business are often in the middle of the spotlight.
Love does not discriminate and many of these celebrities have chosen to let their hearts lead the way. Whether it’s a decade or 20 years difference, most of these stars make it work:
1. Donnie Yen & Cecilia Wang
Donnie Yen: 57 years old
Cecilia Wang: 39 years old
Age gap: 18 years
Martial arts superstar Donnie Yen (甄子丹) tied the knot with beauty queen Cecilia Wang (汪詩詩) in 2003 after 3 months of dating. The Toronto heiress was only 21 years old when she got pregnant. They have two children together named, Jasmine and James.
2. Aaron Kwok & Moka Fang
Aaron Kwok: 55 years old
Moka Fang: 33 years old
Age gap: 22 years
Despite their 22 years difference, Aaron Kwok (郭富城) and Moka Fang (方媛) are happily married with two beautiful daughters, Chantelle and Charlotte. It’s no secret that Aaron loves spoiling his baby mama. He once reportedly bought her 13 pairs of shoes in a single shopping trip.
P/s: It is believed that Aaron popped the question to the Shanghainese beauty on a Ferris wheel during a holiday. Aw…
3. Jay Chou & Hannah Quinlivan
Jay Chou: 40 years old
Hannah Quinlivan: 27 years old
Age gap: 13 years
Jay Chou (周杰倫) and Hannah Quinlivan (昆凌) have gone through their fair share of tribulations in the public eye. Earlier on in their relationship, Hannah fled to the United States and enrolled herself into film school. Not wanting to let her go, the Mando-pop king dropped everything to be with her. That was the moment when she knew he was “the one”. The pair are proud parents of daughter, Hathaway, and son, Romeo.
4. Nicky Wu & Cecilia Liu
Nicky Wu: 50 years old
Cecilia Liu: 33 years old
Age gap: 17 years
Second time was the charm for Taiwanese actor-singer Nicky Wu (吴奇隆). After his 3-year marriage didn’t work with actress Ma Yashu, he found love again with his costar Cecilia Liu Shishi (劉詩詩). The reel-to-real couple first locked eyes while starring alongside each other in the hit drama “Scarlet Heart”. It was also the 2011 drama that boosted Nicky’s career again.
The couple had a lavish wedding in Bali back in 2016 and welcomed their newborn son last year.
5. Huang Xiaoming & Angelababy
Huang Xiaoming: 43 years old
Angelababy: 31 years old
Age gap: 12 years
Angelababy (楊穎) and Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明) first met at a Karaoke room in 2009, when the latter was filming his Taiwanese drama series, “Summer’s Desire”. After dating for awhile, they tied the knot in 2015.
Bonus:
6. Lawrence Ng & Shi Yangzi
Lawrence Ng: 56 years old
Shi Yangzi: 35 years old
Age gap: 21 years
Lawrence Ng (吳啟華) married Chinese actress Shi Yangzi (石洋子) back in 2007. A year later, they welcomed their daughter and moved to Beijing. However, in 2014 the couple had an amicable divorce after living separate lives for 4 years. “The age gap leads to lots of differences, especially in terms of doing things. When you’re in love, these things are not apparent, but problems began to stack up as you’re living together,” said Shi Yangzi.
Wanna be serenade by Kenny G this Valentine’s Day?
The Grammy-winning saxophonist legend is set to return to Malaysia where he is scheduled for a one-night live performance at the Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting this February.
Thanks to our friends from Star Planet, we have 5 pairs of PS2 tickets to award our faithful readers. Although Kenny G is known for his lovey-dovey music, you don’t need to be in a romantic relationship to appreciate his timeless masterpiece.
Here is the terms & conditions on how you can win a ticket for you and your plus 1:
Share this post on your Facebook. Increase your chances by getting your friends to like and share your social media posts.
Tell us why we should pick you and include the hashtags #StarPlanet #KennyG #KennyGinMY2020.
Tag your friends and help spread the word.
Private Message us the link to your contest post on Facebook after you’re done. Include your Twitter and Instagram account links so that we can verify.
Ensure that your post privacy is set to public otherwise we won’t be able to see it!
There will be no winners announcement post as winners will be contacted privately via Facebook.
Here is a step-by-step guide to help you from getting disqualified.
In case y’all missed it, Aliff Aziz had found himself in the middle of the spotlight again following a viral video of him raising a ruckus at a restaurant in his hometown Singapore. He even attempted to expose his private parts in public!
A few days after the clip made its way online, the “Jangan Ganggu Pacarku” singer took to his Instagram to clear the air. According to Aliff, he confessed that he had “shamed” his loved ones.
He further admitted that he’s been having tough situations when it comes to his private life. Not only that, Aliff also claimed that a few keyboard warriors who slammed him will not be able to survive if they were in his shoes.
In this case, he pointed out his disappointment towards a few netizens who made fun of him for all the controversies that had happened before this. “Keep laughing at my pain. Yes, I f**ked up. I brought it upon myself. But trust me, try walking in my shoes cause you’d probably fall flat. Yes I shamed my loved ones but no one knows my predicament,” Aliff opened in the statement.
He continued by writing, “It’s okay. I don’t owe anybody any explanation. Not preaching here, but for as long as I live, Allah is here no matter how screwed people think of me, I am still His servant. It’s funny how people claim to be a Muslim yet they run their mouths like they’re the best servants.” Feel free to read the full post below:
Just to refresh everyone’s memory, this was not the first time the “Hotel Mania” actor was caught in these scenarios. Prior to this, he caused massive drama after being arrested for showing disorderly behaviour at the same country as well.
The Hallyu scene was in deep shock when reports about Goo Hara (구하라)’s death came out last November. Up until today, we have no doubt that her passing has left a significant impact towards fans as well as close friends of the former K-pop idol.
As a special gift, her Japanese agency has announced that they will be releasing one final photo book of the talented entertainer. This comes after the music video for her new single “Hello” came out last week on Sunday (12th January).
According to Nikkan Sports, the special photo booklet will be out this April. The Japanese media outlet further added that Hara herself took part in the process of compiling the pictures. The photo book will contain some snapshots of the 28-year-old taken in Seoul and Okinawa.
Meanwhile, the video clip of the self-penned ballad shows the “Invincible Youth” star walking around the city of Tokyo during the night time. The heavy use of monochrome effects managed to add in the melancholy feels, along with the poignant message that’s portrayed in each and every word of the song.
Her sweet singing voice will definitely be missed by everyone. For those interested, check out the music video here:
Chinese New Year is just around the corner and we’re already looking forward to ang paos (Ka-ching!), food (bak kwa and pineapple tarts), plus movies!
Jackie Chan is back to wow audiences this month with 2 new movies! This festive season, head over to the nearest cinema with your friends and relatives. From comedies to action-pack films, here is a list for your consideration:
1. “The Mystery Of The Dragon Seal” (龙牌之谜)
Released Date: 9th January 2020
Movie cast: Jason Flemyng, Charles Dance, Rutger Hauer, Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger
In the sequel for 2014’s “Viy”, English traveller Jonathan Green sets off on another adventure that leads him to China. Along the way, he meets mysterious creatures, Chinese princesses, deadly masters of oriental martial arts, and comes face to face with Lun Van, the King of Dragons himself.
2. “Enter The Fat Dragon” (肥龙过江)
Released Date: 23rd January 2020
Movie cast: Donnie Yen, Niki Chow, Teresa Mo Sun Kwan, Wong Jing, Louis Cheung, Wong Cho Lam
Fallon Chu is a Hong Kong Police Special Task Force agent. He is an agile fighter with a high crime detection rate and is a police role-model in the eye of the public. Unfortunately, his fiancée dumps him just before their marriage. Heartbroken, he indulges himself in food to relieve his pain. In three month’ time, his endless intemperance transforms him into a 300-pound being.
3. “Vanguard” (急先锋)
Released Date: 25th January 2020
Movie cast: Jackie Chan, Yang Yang, Miya Muqi, Ai Lun
After being targeted by a deadly mercenary organisation, an accountant seeks help from a covert private security agency called Vanguard. Together with Dubai intelligence personnel, they have to protect the man from the world’s deadliest mercenary organisation.
4. “All’s Well, End’s Well” (家有囍事)
Released Date: 25th January 2020
Movie cast: Julian Cheung, Louis Cheung, Raymond Wong, Chrissie Chau, Dada Chan Ching
If you’ve been a fan of the “All’s Well, End’s Well” franchise, then you’ll be happy to know that a new film will be debuting this Lunar New Year. The Raymond Wong-directed movie revolves around the 3 brothers who team up with the 2 sisters to take down a mob boss.
5. “A Moment Of Happiness” (新年泰疯狂)
Released Date: 25th January 2020
Movie cast: Min Chen Lin, Tul Pakorn, Chan Fong, Danny One, Thian Siew Kim
After graduating from college, Zhen enlists the help of her bestie Zitomira and her uncle Jin Shui to create a pretty rich girl online persona – giving an impression that she lives a luxury life. When she falls for a rich Thai tourist named Nat, her father Wu has no choice but to play the part of a wealthy person as well.
6. “Fight Lah! Kopitiam” (作战啦！茶室总动员)
Released Date: 30th January 2020
Movie cast: Jack Lim, Cedric Loo, Wan Wai Fun, Steve Yap, Jaspers Lai, Chang Yong, Hanxiiaoaii
“Bao Li Jin, the second generation owner of “Kopitiam Ada Bukit Ada Air” tries very hard to maintain the Kopitiam business after his father (founder of the kopitiam) starts suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. But things gets worse as Tao (an arrogant developer) wants to acquire his Kopitiam lot. Bao Li Jin is forced to accept the boxing match challenge to fight against Tao in order to keep his Kopitiam.”
7. “The Grand Grandmaster” (乜代宗师)
Released Date: 30th January 2020
Movie cast: Dayo Wong Tze-wah, Annie Liu, Hui Shiu Hung, Ivana Wong, Catherine Chau, Fama
“The grand master Fei Lung loses everything when he is defeated by Chun. To regain his reputation, Fei Lung challenges her to a final fight. Much to his surprise, he gradually falls in love with Chun. What does this mean for the duo moving forward?”
Sharnaaz Ahmad’s wife, Noor Nabila has grown sick of his back-and-forth approach in handling their ongoing divorce case.
The 35-year-old entrepreneur recently revealed that the actor has shown zero attempt in searching for a solution for their longterm marital dispute ever since they parted ways for over a year.
Sources: Harian Metro, Berita Harian
“(I believe) things will be easier if he had filed for divorce in the first place. This ongoing process is making it more difficult. Sharnaaz has not shown any efforts in making peace between us. I certainly don’t want to proceed with the marriage. So, I think both sides should understand that we have to move forward since both of us have our own lives,” the elder sister of Neelofa told mStar.
“He has been living his life without the presence of a wife for a year, and vice versa. But since we have children together, we shouldn’t have to prolong the issue. I feel that it’s better to move on and do our best to raise our baby without any resentment or anger,” she further added.
Source: mStar
Further expressing her disappointment in Sharnaaz’s decision to elongate the case between them, Nabila asked, “Does Sharnaaz really wanted to save our marriage? If yes then what effort has he made? I am very disheartened and I don’t see any actions taken by him. Therefore, I refuse to continue with this relationship.”
Meanwhile, Sharnaaz has been hesitant to give any comments regarding the matter. “There’s nothing to say,” the “Darah Panas” actor said before leaving the court. During the closed proceedings of the case that was conducted today (Thursday, 16th January), Syarie Judge Ahmad Muttaqi Ismailm has decided to disqualify the existing hakam (arbitrator) as both sides have failed to reach a settlement.
Source: Google Images
Both Sharnaaz and Nabila will meet again on 27th February to appoint a new arbitrator for the case.
Starbucks Korea has announced their collaboration with K-pop sensation BTS (방탄소년단) for a project called “Be The Brightest Stars” recently. This marks the first time for any K-pop artistes to receive such honour!
For those who are curious, this project aims to spread a positive influence among local youths. Therefore, the franchise is only available at Starbucks Korea for now.
This project with the famed coffeehouse chain will not be complete without their tasty food and drinks. In this case, five new treats have been introduced specifically for this campaign. This include the purple star cupcake, purple berry cheesecake, blueberry star macaroon, vanilla star macaroon, and the purple star poundcake, with a sweet BTS-labelled chocolate placed on top of the signature sweet delicacies.
Additionally, Starbucks has also unveiled 6 limited-edition merchandise for the special collaboration. The items include mug, tumbler, laptop and tablet pouches as well as a tin case that includes a key chain. Not to forget, the main highlight of the award-winning K-pop ensemble’s signature menu, the Blooming Purple Vin Chaud drink!
It was also reported that all of the proceeds gained from this project will go towards developing educational and career programmes for disadvantaged youth as part of The Beautiful Foundation’s Opportunity Youth Independence Project.
According to CEO Song Ho Seob, the collab project with BTS is deemed as very “meaningful to us as we are able to work with a group that has spread such a positive influence in the world. We hope that this collaboration with them will help spread awareness about the youth in our society today.”
The BTS + Starbucks’ “Be The Brightest Stars” collection will be available from 21st January (Tuesday) till 6th February (Thursday)! Fingers crossed that this project will be available in our country too. 😉
Local fans are always impressed when international stars speak our local tongue, or at least try to.
This is why many Internet users have been gushing over a recent video clip of Grant Gustin attempting to converse in Malay to his wife, Andrea LA Thoma.
In the Instagram clip posted on Wednesday (15th January), “The Flash” actor was shown flapping Thoma’s hands away while mumbling “jangan kacau” – which means “don’t disturb” in Malay. It was super endearing to see his beau teaching him to pronounce it correctly.
“One of my favourite videos — trying to teach G how to say ‘don’t mess with me’ in Malay. It always makes me smile,” she wrote in the caption. The adorable post received a ton of comments, including “Supergirl” actress Melissa Benoist and “Arrow” actor Rick Gonzalez.
In case you didn’t know, Thoma is half-Kadazan and returns to Sabah every now and then to keep in touch with her Borneo heritage. Take a look at their traditional Kadazan wedding here.
There’s no doubt that EXO member Chen (첸)’s recent announcement regarding his marriage as well as his non-celebrity partner’s pregnancy came as a surprise to everyone. This has led to conflicting arguments among fans.
In this case, die-hard EXO-Ls (as fans are lovingly called) have given their full support to the 27-year-old. On the contrary, a number of netizens have been venting their anger towards him.
Recently, alleged photos of his newlywed house went viral, causing massive stir among the internet community. The netizen claimed that the pictures were taken from Chen’s fiancee’s Instagram posts back in August 2018. It is believed that the apartment is located in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
The unknown individual further pointed that most of the furnitures came from a branded store. One of the luxurious brands include exclusive home furnishing label Wittmann, much to the public’s dismay.
A number of K-netizens have claimed that the Daejeon-born entertainer has been making use of die-hard EXO-Ls’ money for his partner. Not only that, the fiancee was also called out for purposely seeking attention by local keyboard warriors. Some of the comments include:
“I wonder who is rich enough to buy a 50 million won worth of bed when they get married in their late 20s haha”
“Thanks to his stupid fans, he has made tens of billions of won already.”
“Hahahaha for sure the fans will get angry. It’s natural for them to show their anger, premarital pregnancy itself is a shock. But the fact that his girlfriend is that type (gold-digger) is even more shocking.”
“I like EXO but I’m not spending any money on him. To be honest, he should leave if he’s being considerate for the other members.”
“His girlfriend is making a scene trying to become famous.”
“She must be super happy that all of her newlywed furniture was paid for by his fans.”
Despite the criticisms, loyal fans of the “Growl” hit makers have stepped in to defend Chen. Most of them said that it’s normal for everyone to fall in love and it’s no different in his situation just because he is a well-known figure.
The popularity of streaming services have been steadily growing throughout the years, and none have been more successful than Netflix. So in order to keep the momentum going, the streaming giant has set their sights on a new market, that being the market in South East Asia.
After establishing their headquarters of the region in Singapore, it didn’t take long for them to gain million of subscribers to their service. Now in order to really hit the nail on the head, the company has decided to test out the waters with several local productions, one of which is “The Ghost Bride” premiering on 23rd January 2020.
“Set in 1890s colonial Malacca the story revolved around a girl name Li Lan, who receives a marriage proposal from the wealthy Lim Family to become the ‘ghost bride’ to their recently deceased son. Li Lan is ensnared in a mysterious incident that will change her life forever.”
Best-seller “The Ghost Bride”, written by Malaysian author Yangsze Choo, was even selected by Oprah Winfrey as a recommended read. If that wasn’t enough to get you to watch series, then here are five more reasons on why you should should the Netflix’s original “The Ghost Bride”.
1. It was shot entirely in Malaysia
Malaysia has been a really popular place to film lately, as seen by several Hollywood productions like “Crazy Rich Asians”. However, this series was shot completely in Malaysia. Most of the location used for the setting in the Netflix original is located in Johor and Penang, though, ironically the story itself was set in Malacca. So remember to keep a lookout if you so happen to recognise a place in the background.
2. Local production
Admittedly, a lot of international talents were involve with the show, as per usual with such a big Netflix production. However, majority of the talents that we see on screen and behind the scenes are Malaysians, which technically still make the series a local production.
Since the streaming company is using the show to test out the waters in our market, it might be beneficial for us to show some support to our local talent, in order to open up more opportunities for our homegrown stars in the future.
3. International award winning local directors, Quek Shio Chuan and Ho Yu Hang
Speaking of talent, the directors for the show are local pair – Quek Shio Chuan (left) and Ho Yu Hang (right). Quek is a relatively newcomer to serialise shows, with him only done short and feature-length films before this. However, the “Guang” director has no shortage of talent as he had won awards at International film festivals, most notably his best short film award at the 6th Alto Vicentino Film Festival in Santorso, Italy, being the first Asian short film to do so.
In Ho’s case, he’s already a veteran in the industry with him having more than a decade of experience. His features and shorts have won him several awards in some prestige international film festivals which includes, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Venice Film Festival and Locarno Film Festival.
The directors took turns directing the six-episode series with both of them directing 3 episodes each. Quek was responsible for the first half while the next half was directed by Ho. Still, they were present at each other’s shooting location to learn and helped each other out on certain scenes.
In speaking about the differences between the duo, Quek shared, “He probably watches 100 films in the cinemas each year. I spend most of time at home watching YouTube!” When asked what would he do if he should one day be asked to marry a ghost like Li Lan, instead of dismissing the idea right away he smiled and asked a question in return: “I’d want to know why me.”
4. Headed by “The Flash” Writer, Kai Yu Wu
What is a show without its script, and audiences need not to worry about the series as the head writer for the adaptation is Kai Yu Wu. The Taiwanese-American is known predominantly for her work in renown series such as “Hannibal”, and most recently she also did the superhero series, “The Flash”.
Although she used to be freaked out by ghost weddings as a child, her work on this script has thought her that ghost weddings are a way to remember and pay respects to the dead. Thanks to the support from the Netflix team, Kai was able to incorporate more modern perspectives and feminine energy into “The Ghost Bride”.
5. Based on the New York Times best-seller novel by Malaysian, Yangsze Choo
Source: Options
As briefly mention before, the show in question is an adaptation from the novel of the same name written by fellow Malaysian Yangsze Choo, which surprisingly was her debut novel. The book published in August 2013 and has since become a New York Time best seller. The writer of the book was a graduate from Harvard university and previously work as a management consultant prior to writing her first novel.
Growing up, Choo has always taken a liking to fantasy and supernatural. Using the setting of Malacca in 1890 in the story was due to a combination of Eastern and Western cultural
influences. The author fused fantasy legends of China and Japan such as the bureaucracy of hell with local Malaysian ghost stories.
The first image that came to her mind for “The Ghost Bride” was of a young, pretty girl sitting in a room lit by oil lanterns telling her story: “One evening, my father asked me whether I would like to become a ghost bride…” The plot unfolds from this point on.
Nasi lemak is indeed one of the beloved local dish among Malaysians. Not only that, it is also well-known internationally for its unique and savoury taste.
Recently, UK native Katie Morley has declared that she’s not a fan of the national dish. The Telegraph reporter has in turn found herself in a sticky situation following her recent tweet in dissing the famed traditional treat, claiming that the dish was “wickedly bad”.
In the name of public interest, am sharing this wickedly bad meal British Airways treated me to during a 13hr flight. Behold: chicken curry served with anaemic boiled egg, topped with smelly, slimy anchovies. ANCHOVIES. I quite like plane food usually, and this was a 0/10 🤢 pic.twitter.com/ZmgbGa6znV
The tweet has received backlash among keyboard warriors in Malaysia. In this case, they pointed that she was served with a poor version of the food. They argued that as a journalist as well as an influencer to the public, she should have used proper words in describing the food served by the airline.
As a response to the ongoing backlash, Katie posted another tweet to clarify the whole situation. She assured that she didn’t meant to offend the people. Instead, she stated that the tweet was intended to highlight her dissatisfaction towards the meal served by British Airways.
The issue also managed to catch fellow Englishman Darren Cronian’s attention. For those who don’t know, Darren was infamous for travelling 9600km to Kuala Lumpur just to try nasi lemak. He responded to Katie’s tweet by writing, “Malaysians are very passionate about the local food,” before hilariously adding, “I mean, I flew 6000 miles for it,” along with a laughing face emoji.
Many Malaysians have got in touch to say the meal I tweeted about yday is a popular national dish. I’d not come across it before & meant no offence. As many have pointed out, I was clearly served a v poor version by BA. Sure it can be lovely & hope to try the real thing one day!
